Tibia pad and tibia pad installation structure

Abstract

A tibia pad has: a right foot placement portion having a right side horizontal portion positioned beneath and rearward of an accelerator pedal on which a passenger's heel who is stepping-on the accelerator pedal is placed, and a right side inclined portion integrally formed with a vehicle front side of the right side horizontal portion and positioned beneath the accelerator pedal; and a rib formed at least at a bottom surface of the right side horizontal portion at the right foot placement portion by a region between a pair of groove portions that are formed so as to extend along a vehicle longitudinal direction and so as to be lined-up in a vehicle transverse direction, and that is provided at a position that is offset toward a vehicle transverse direction one side with respect to a central line that passes-through a vehicle transverse direction central portion of the accelerator pedal.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A tibia pad comprising:
 a right foot placement portion having a rear portion that is positioned beneath and at a rear of an accelerator pedal provided at a vehicle and on which is placed a heel of a right foot of a passenger who is stepping-on the accelerator pedal, and a front portion that is formed integrally with a vehicle front side of the rear portion and that is positioned beneath the accelerator pedal; and 
 a rib that is formed by a region between a pair of groove portions that are formed so as to extend along a vehicle longitudinal direction and so as to be lined-up in a vehicle transverse direction at least at a bottom surface of the rear portion of the right foot placement portion, and the rib is provided at a position that is offset toward a vehicle transverse direction one side with respect to a central line that passes-through a central portion in a vehicle transverse direction of the accelerator pedal wherein, 
 the right foot placement portion has a horizontal portion that serves as the rear portion and is formed horizontally, and an inclined portion that serves as the front portion and is inclined with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction so as to head toward a vehicle upper side while heading toward a vehicle front side, and 
 the rib has a rear side rib that is formed at the horizontal portion, and a front side rib that is formed at the inclined portion and whose projecting height is smaller than a projecting height of the rear side rib and the front side rib has a step portion between the front side rib and the rear side rib. 
 
     
     
       2. The tibia pad of  claim 1  wherein,
 a weak portion, that is made to be a through-hole that passes-through in a thickness direction of the inclined portion or a groove that opens at one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the inclined portion, is formed in the inclined portion. 
 
     
     
       3. The tibia pad of  claim 2 , wherein the weak portion has a first weak portion, and a second weak portion that is formed at a position that is offset toward a vehicle transverse direction other side and a vehicle rear side with respect to the first weak portion. 
     
     
       4. The tibia pad of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a left foot placement portion that is provided at a vehicle left side with respect to the right foot placement portion, and on which a left foot of the passenger is placed, 
 wherein a reduced-thickness portion, that is made to be a through-hole that passes-through in a thickness direction of the left foot placement portion or a groove that opens at one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the left foot placement portion, is formed in the left foot placement portion. 
 
     
     
       5. The tibia pad of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a connecting portion that connects the right foot placement portion and the left foot placement portion in the vehicle transverse direction wherein, 
 a space portion, that is made to be a through-hole that passes-through in a thickness direction of the connecting portion or a groove that opens at one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the connecting portion, is formed in the connecting portion, and 
 a sound absorbing material is provided at least at the space portion, among the pair of groove portions, the reduced-thickness portion and the space portion. 
 
     
     
       6. The tibia pad of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a left foot placement portion that is provided at a vehicle left side with respect to the right foot placement portion, and that has a left side horizontal portion that is formed horizontally and on which a heel of a left foot of the passenger is placed, and a left side inclined portion that is formed integrally with a vehicle front side of the left side horizontal portion and that is inclined with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction so as to head toward the vehicle upper side while heading toward the vehicle front side, 
 wherein a bending starting point portion, that is made to be a through-hole that passes-through in a thickness direction of a transition portion between the left side horizontal portion and the left side inclined portion, or is made to be a groove that opens at one of a top surface and a bottom surface of the transition portion, is formed in the transition portion. 
 
     
     
       7. A tibia pad installation structure comprising:
 the tibia pad of  claim 1  that has the right foot placement portion having a horizontal portion that serves as the rear portion and is formed horizontally, and an inclined portion that serves as the front portion and is inclined with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction so as to head toward the vehicle upper side while heading toward the vehicle front side; and 
 a vehicle body panel on which the tibia pad is placed and at which a curved portion, that is formed convexly toward a vehicle lower side and that has a peak portion on the central line that passes-through the central portion in the vehicle transverse direction of the accelerator pedal, is formed at a region positioned beneath the horizontal portion. 
 
     
     
       8. The tibia pad installation structure of  claim 7 , wherein
 a wall portion, that is directed toward the vehicle upper side, is formed at the vehicle body panel at a vehicle right side with respect to the accelerator pedal, and 
 the rib is provided at a position that is offset toward the vehicle right side with respect to the central line.